Daily Gratitude Reflections

Late in the day, spend a few minutes reviewing everything that went right for you that day – even the small things.

What did you enjoy?

What felt good?

This type of reflection can help you program positive thoughts and images into your mind for the night.

It may help you sleep better and awake more ready to face the day.

Ideally, keep a journal - best in hard-copy - buy a beautiful or elegant notebook for this purpose.

Some people prefer to keep this as a file on their computer or smart-phone, that’s fine too - whatever works best for you.

Professor Martin Seligman’s authentic formula for this is:

“Every night for the next week, set aside ten minutes before you go to sleep. Write down three things that went well today and why they went well. You may use a journal or your computer to write about the events, but it is important that you have a physical record of what you wrote. The three things need not be earthshaking in importance (“My husband picked up my favorite ice cream for dessert on the way home from work today”), but they can be important (“My sister just gave birth to a healthy baby boy”).

“Next to each positive event, answer the question “Why did this happen?” For example, if you wrote that your husband picked up ice cream, write “because my husband is really thoughtful sometimes” or “because I remembered to call him from work and remind him to stop by the grocery store.” Or if you wrote, “My sister just gave birth to a healthy baby boy,” you might pick as the cause … “She did everything right during her pregnancy.”

Writing about why the positive events in your life happened may seem awkward at first, but please stick with it for one week. It will get easier.”

Personally, I have adapted Seligman’s three blessings to use on a daily basis and my family and I share three good things that went well over dinner.